Luck and Psychology for Mind-Body Wellness

Photo Credit: Photo by Yan Ming on Unsplash

Luck – a concept that has intrigued humans for centuries, but maybe not in the context of whole body health. Today we are going to talk about how luck plays a role in our cognitive biases and our overall mind body wellness. Some see it as a force beyond our control, while others believe it’s merely a product of chance. But what does psychology have to say about luck? How does our perception of luck influence our behaviors and decision-making processes? Let’s delve into the fascinating intersection of luck and psychology.

Luck can be defined as the occurrence of events that happen by chance rather than as a result of one’s actions. It’s often perceived as either good luck, bringing favorable outcomes, or bad luck, resulting in unfortunate circumstances. Psychologically, luck is a complex phenomenon influenced by cognitive biases, beliefs, and perceptions. Together these equal our experience of life. They create our sense of mind body wellness or lack thereof, and they are things we can control when we understand them.

1. Attribution Bias:

   Our tendency to attribute outcomes to either internal factors (e.g., skill, effort) or external factors (e.g., luck, circumstances) plays a significant role in how we perceive luck. When we experience success, we may attribute it to our abilities and efforts, but when we fail, we’re more likely to blame external factors like luck. This bias can affect our self-esteem and decision-making processes, along with create ways in which we “other” groups of people we don’t understand. These things decrease our quality of life experiences and deflate our whole body health by adding stress and inflammation to our physical system as a result of our mental health. 

2. Illusion of Control:

   Humans have a fundamental need to feel in control of their lives. The illusion of control bias leads us to believe that we have more control over outcomes than we actually do. This can result in overestimating the role of skill and underestimating the role of luck in our achievements. For example, a successful entrepreneur may attribute their success solely to their skills, overlooking the role of external factors like market conditions or timing. When we shift our internal versus external locus of control it can be healthy, but not if we are using it to shun personal responsibility or blame others for our choices and outcomes. 

3. Hindsight Bias:

   After an event has occurred, we tend to perceive its outcome as more predictable than it actually was. This hindsight bias can lead us to believe that successful outcomes were inevitable due to our actions, while failures were unavoidable due to bad luck. It distorts our perception of the role luck plays in shaping events and outcomes and does not offer us a sense of reality when accepting hard situations. When we feel it was more predictable we can miss opportunities for learning and growth. 

4. Superstitions and Rituals:

   Many people engage in superstitious beliefs and rituals to increase their perceived luck. From carrying lucky charms to performing pre-game rituals, these behaviors provide a sense of control and comfort in uncertain situations. While they may not have any real impact on outcomes, the placebo effect can influence performance and confidence levels. The concepts of placebo and nocebo effects are well known in drug studies, we can use these concepts to help ourselves believe strongly and visualize success. As touchstones to our experience they can help us impact our whole body health and bring about mind body wellness. 

Luck is a multifaceted concept shaped by cognitive biases, beliefs, and perceptions. While we may never fully understand or control luck, acknowledging its influence can lead to a more balanced and resilient mindset. By embracing uncertainty, focusing on effort, and learning from both success and failure, we can navigate life’s uncertainties with greater clarity and resilience. So, the next time you find yourself pondering the role of luck in your life, remember: it’s not just chance, but also how we perceive and respond to it that shapes our experiences and overall sense of mind body wellness.

Stacy Reuille-Dupont, PhD, LAC, CPFT, CNC, licensed psychologist, addiction counselor, personal trainer, and nutrition coach. She’s passionate about helping people create a vibrant life using psychology and physiology. With over 25 years of coaching people to be their best, she understands how to make living healthily easy while finding adventure, inspiration, and balance. 

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